On Wednesday 12 April, the European Commission adopted a draft amending budget for 2017 providing for the EU's budgetary surplus from 2016 to be entered in this year's budget.
The 2016 surplus stands at €6.4 billion and will reduce the overall contribution of the member states to the financing of the EU budget for 2017 by the same amount.
The figures show that the German contribution to the 2017 budget will be reduced by €1.3 billion (Germany will pay €18.7 billion in total in 2017, as opposed to €20 billion without the 2016 surplus). The French contribution is cut by €967 million, to €13.1 billion. The United Kingdom's contribution for 2017 will stand at €14.3 billion, as against €15.3 billion without the inclusion of the surplus, representing a reduction of €1 billion.
The Council and Parliament still have to take positions on this draft amending budget no. 2/2017. Last year, the 2015 budgetary surplus was lower (€1.3 billion). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)